Parvovirus is the common name used to refer to all of the viruses in the Parvoviridae family. Erythrovirus is a genus of the Parvoviridae family containing viruses that infect erythrocyte progenitor cells. Erythroviruses and parvoviruses can infect many animals (e.g., mammals, porcine, canine, feline, primates, monkeys, and humans). Human erythroviruses contains three genotypes (Servant-Delmas et al., J Virol. (October 2010) Vol. 84, No. 19, pp. 9658-9665). Genotype 1 includes parvovirus B19 (also referred to as erythrovirus B19) and two new genotypes with a genetic diversity markedly distinct (>9% nucleotide divergence on the whole genome) from that of provirus B19. Genotype 2 includes the Lali strain and the A6 strain, genotype 3a the V9 strain, and genotype 3b the D91.1 strain. In certain instances, the clinical spectrum associated with genotype 2 or 3 virus infection can be similar to that observed with parvovirus B19, a genotype 1, infection.
Parvovirus B19 (a species of the erythrovirus genus) can cause severe and sometimes fatal diseases in fetuses and newborns, such as hydrops fetalis, intrauterine fetal death and erythema infectiosum (fifth disease) in children. Older human children and adults with either hereditary diseases (e.g., sickle cell anemia or Thalassemia) or acquired diseases (e.g., malaria or anemia) are at risk for developing parvovirus B19-induced red cell aplasia or death. Chronic anemia in immunodeficient, organ transplant, or HIV patients has contributed to parvovirus B19 infection. A cellular receptor for parvovirus B19 is the blood group P antigen, a globoside, that is expressed in erythroid precursors and maintained on mature red blood cells (RBCs). To date, no vaccine is available to prevent human erythrovirus, including parvovirus B19 infection. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present invention include treating (e.g., preventing or vaccinating against) erythrovirus infection (e.g., parvovirus B19 infection and other erythroviruses).
Some embodiments of the invention include inventive polypeptides (e.g., mutant VP2 proteins) and virus-like particles made from the inventive polypeptides. Other embodiments of the invention include compositions for treating (e.g., preventing) erythrovirus infections, including parvovirus B19 infection and other diseases. Further embodiments include methods for treating active erythrovirus infections, including active parvovirus B19 infection and other diseases. Still other embodiments include nucleic acids that encode the inventive polypeptides. Additional embodiments of the invention are also discussed herein.